O Cousin My Cousin
by Kryptonite
Summary: Rating will go up. Sarah's cousin, Alezandra, comes for their senior year. And of course nothing goes smooth (wouldn't be much of a story if it did).
1. Chapter 1

**O Cousin My Cousin**

**By:** Kryptonite

**Disclaimer:** I do not, do _not_ own The Labyrinth. If I did, there would be a second movie coming out with David Bowie once more as the supreme Goblin King, LoL.

**Summary: **Sarah's cousin comes to stay with Sarah for their senior year.

**A/N: **A few changes to the movie. Toby was three and not however old he was (how old was he exactly?), Sarah was fourteen instead of fifteen (or about to turn fifteen). Since Karen and Robert seem to be the accepted names for Sarah's parents those are the names I'm going to be using.

I was planning on waiting a little while before posting this but I got anxious and I wanted to know if you thought it was a good idea. It's been four years since the movie (so Sarah's eighteen and Toby's seven). Also, as much as I love J/S stories, this is not one of them. And if Sarah's seems to have retained a certain amount of her childish attitudes from the movie, she did. Enjoy.

&

"Hey Zan." Sarah called, waving as her cousin came running. Zan smiled at the nickname, giving her cousin a hug before moving onto her Uncle Robert.

" Hey Sarah, Uncle Robert, Toby, Karen." She added the last name more than slightly coldly. Robert smiled, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders and picking up her duffel bag.

" You sure have grown." He smiled as the group started walking towards the car. Zan nodded, rolling her eyes at the usual lines.

" You haven't seen me in almost four years, of course I've grown. I'm eighteen now, just like Sarah." Zan smiled, reaching back for her cousin. Toby was already jumping left and right ahead of them, energetic as every seven-year-old.

" Alezandra, when are your parents supposed to return?" Zan turned to look back at Karen, noticing the woman's distinct displeasure.

" They said two, three months top but that they'd call. Uncle Robert said it'd be all right for me to finish my last year of school here and they agreed that they'd rather have me here for the whole school year than to transfer me half way through." She smiled sweetly before turning back to looking forward.

" Zan's more than welcome to stay for the whole year." Robert placed a kiss on the top of Zan's dark red hair. Zan leaned into the touch hugging him harder with her one arm.

" Not a lot of stuff for that long." Karen remarked smoothly.

" I have close to a thousand dollars to buy any clothing and such that I'll need. Of course I can give you some of that for food and such if you want."

" Of course-" Karen started before being interrupted by Robert.

" That's not necessary sweetheart, you're family." They were at the car and Robert took his arm from around Zan's shoulders to unlock the doors. Zan, Sarah and Toby crammed into the backseat of the minivan and Robert and Karen buckled into the front seat. They shared a kiss with Karen smirking back at the two eighteen year olds. Sarah and Zan rolled their eyes at the same time.

" With a month left before school that will give Sarah plenty of time to show you around and take you shopping. We're putting you in the guestroom. Feel free to tack up anything you want, paint it, all that good stuff."

" Thanks Uncle Robert, but I think I'll leave off painting it so Karen won't have a heart attack." She winked over at Sarah who had to stifle a giggle.

" What color were you thinking honey, maybe it's not so bad."

" Black, dark red and dark blue. Depending on the room." She grinned; knowing that Karen was glaring back at her.

" Sounds good to me."

&

" Are you sure this is okay Uncle Robert? It'll be really hard to change once it's done." Zan tried one last time to change her uncle's mind, not wanting him to be able to complain later.

" Sure sweetie, whatever you want." He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her forehead. "Just try not to suffocate."

" I'll... do my best." Zan shrugged mentally, giving up. It was about five in the morning and she was not ready for an argument.

" I'll be back from work at seven tonight. If you need help, wait until then." Zan nodded happily, shooing him out the door. Closing and locking the door behind him she went to work. Everything had been cleared out and taped the night before, leaving her with merely having to paint it.

The ceiling was first as it had a nasty tendency to drip. That was painted pure black, making the room suddenly seem to shrink in. The panes around the window, door and floor were painted the same black as the walls and ceiling. They were painted before the walls so that Zan wouldn't make too many mistakes. By lunch she had the ceiling, the trim and two walls finished.

" Zan?" Sarah called knocking loudly and suddenly, almost causing Zan to jerk the paintbrush onto the window.

" Yeah?" She asked, calming down and going back to painting that one irritating corner that hadn't wanted to get painted.

" Are you coming to lunch?"

" No." Zan answered honestly, her mind already back to the job at hand. She completely missed Sarah's reply. That was the last time until well past dinner that she heard from anyone.

" This looks awesome honey." Robert said when Zan told him at his knock that he could come in. Sarah followed after him.

" You did this in one day?" She questioned awe-struck. Then she took a look at Zan and started laughing. Zan was almost literally covered from head to foot with paint. "Yep, you did it in one day."

The walls were black minus three stripes in the very middle of the walls. She had a stripe of blue, then black, then the middle red and then another black followed by blue. The doors and trim were the same inky black as the walls and ceiling. The curtains were multi-colored, black and red, and were originally meant as Halloween decoration.

The wood floor was left bare, the drop cloth having already been picked up as Zan had started clean up almost two hours ago. It seemed to absorb the little light left over and reflect it.

" I still have to paint the furniture to match and polish the floor but it should be pretty decent when I'm done. I mean, the black comforter, red sheets and blue fluff pillows that Karen insisted on should be a nice touch. Not to mention when I actually, you know, have stuff."

" Yes it will be. Are you and Sarah going shopping tomorrow?" Robert asked, smiling down at his brother's daughter and his own.

" Day after. I want to finish the furniture and polish before I try and buy anything. Makes it that much easier. Oh Uncle Robert," Zan waited for him to respond before rushing on.

" What?"

" Mom and Dad sent me all of my books, quite literally so I need to go pick those up tomorrow night when you get home from work. Is that okay?"

" Sure honey. Sarah do you want to go with us?" She nodded, anxious to spend more time with her father. "I think, however, that it's time for bed. Go clean up some before you sleep though Zan, don't want to get paint all over Sarah's bed."

" Yes sir." She answered walking out of the freshly painted room. Sarah smiled before hugging her father.

" Thank you." Sarah whispered before suddenly letting go and leaving. Robert smiled and sniffed, keeping that single tear from falling.

&

" Sarah are you coming?" Zan asked as Sarah had started lagging behind.

" I'm coming." She half-whined catching up to her cousin.

" Do you want to go sit down somewhere?" Zan questioned softly, knowing that as always Sarah hated anyone suggesting that she couldn't do something.

" No, I'm fine." Zan nodded keeping her mouth shut. She still silently took over pushing the second cart as they moved onto the next store. Along with the books her parents had sent her considerably more money, trying to make up for having to move her, her senior year.

Alezandra had ogled at the money before offering half to her uncle, who just like the last time had steadfastly refused. She had shrugged and thought about exactly what it was she wanted.

The mall Karen had dropped them off at was actually considerably decent. It was outside of Sarah's hometown, in a larger commerce center just an hour away. It had everything, ranging from clothes to accessories to computers, from discount to the more upscale shops.

Zan had managed to obtain most of her wardrobe from seven new pairs of jeans, ten new black tank tops, two new pairs of black work boots, a pair of sneakers and a pair of dress shoes, one skirt, and five different colored solid button up over shirts.

She just wanted to look at sweaters, sleep clothes and undergarments before moving onto the more fanciful stuff. Just as she and Sarah were getting ready to turn into one store something caught Zan's eye.

" Wait a minute." Zan looked at Sarah hopefully and barely registered the sigh of discontent that passed Sarah's lips as she was once again left alone with the carts. Sarah pulled them angrily over to the closet bench and sat down with a huff.

Zan smiled as she entered the store, breathing in the smell of lemons covered with a hint of lavender.

" Can I help you with anything my dear?" An older woman, close to fifty, with white-blonde hair asked politely from behind the counter. Zan smiled at the new-age jewelry that was draped around her neck, the turquoise pieces in her ears and the silver arthritis bracelet item around her wrist.

" I noticed the gloves in the window. Do you have finger-less?" Zan questioned having noticed the opera length black gloves in the store's display. The woman smiled, giving Zan a wink.

" As a matter of fact." She looked around, pretending to be guarding some big secret. "Here." She took Zan to the back of the store where a wide assortment of gloves in all colors, styles and fabrics were arrayed.

" Thank you."

" If you need anything else dearie, just come ask." Zan nodded not paying much attention as she sorted through the pile. It took her almost fifteen minutes but she came out with three pairs of black finger-less gloves that came about three inches past her elbow and a pair of fishnet gloves that were finger-less as well.

It took Zan a moment to look around the rest of the store. She noticed a few items that Sarah would love and took those as well to the counter.

" My goodness. I guess it's good I'm having a sale today." The woman commented smiling happily at Zan.

" A sale?" Zan questioned, not believing her luck that practically the entire mall had been having a sale today.

" Fifty percent off everything. Does this make you want to look around some more?" She questioned, noting the look in Zan's eyes. She nodded, moving more slowly around the store, pick at this necklace over that one, that book over these. Zan returned to the counter with three more books, another pair of black gloves, two more necklaces and a pair of earrings for Sarah.

" This is it. If I don't leave soon I'll buy you're whole store." Zan joked. The woman nodded.

" I completely understand my dear, I have the same urge every now and then. Since you are buying so much look through the case I'm leaning on and see if you see anything you like." Zan looked curiously at the woman before moving to do as she was told.

The case was filled with glass and ceramic figurines: dragons, faeries, goblins, gnomes, princes, kings, unicorns, jewelry that a queen would be proud to wear, crystals for healing, luck, good fortune and the like. What caught Zan's eye was a king figurine. The little king stood straight as a wall, a look on his face that said 'I dare you' to friend and foe alike.

His robes were detailed, down to the slight crease in the fabric around his shoulders and neck, clothes beneath the robes peeking through the gab between the robe's sides. A crown was set atop of mass of wild hair. Zan could almost feel the wind that had taken hold of the golden locks.

" I see you've fallen in love with the King. Many do but few ever take him." The woman commented, bemused as she continued to ring up Zan's packages.

" Well, I like him but I really can't afford to spend any more." Zan started weakly, honestly wanting to take the King if nothing else.

" On the house."

" But-"

" No buts. Name's Kelly and with how much you've decided to spend already, it's the least I can do." Zan stood up, offering Kelly her hand.

" Zan."

" Zan?" Kelly questioned one eyebrow arching up to her hairline as she shook Zan's hand.

" Alezandra. With a z instead of a x. Zan's just my nickname."

" Well it's nice to meet you Zan. Any particular order to this chaos?" Kelly asked, motioning to the pile of objects on the counter.

" Actually there is... if I can remember it." Zan laughed, the two chatting as they sorted through the piles, moving what was Sarah's into two separate bags from Zan's three.

" Don't forget your statue." Kelly reminded, though Zan couldn't have forgotten if she had wanted he was still sitting there staring at her.

" I don't think I could." Zan admitted truthfully, placing the box with the King inside carefully among her gloves.

" I didn't think you could either. Come back anytime you want to just talk."

" I'm living a little ways away but I'll do my best." She walked from the store, ignoring the tinkle of the bell above her head, lugging five different bags. Placing three in the cart she ignored Sarah's look. "Here." She offered the two bags to Sarah, hoping for a peace to be called.

" What's this?" Sarah asked cautiously, taking the bags slowly from Zan's outstretched hands.

" A gift, for putting up with all of this. I know we've been at it awhile. How about this, we'll go get a manicure or whatever you want on me. I have enough for that and books easy." Sarah thought for a moment before agreeing eagerly. The two cousins walked to the nearest beauty salon in the store.

" Can I help you?" Sarah and Zan studied the board displaying prices carefully as the woman waited. Finally Sarah rolled her eyes and started looking through the list of their services and prices in a brochure sitting on the counter.

" We want The Works package. That's a manicure, pedicure, facial, hair and all that right?"

" Yes, it's all stated right here." The woman pointed to the spot on the page where the package that Sarah had mentioned was located. Zan grinned at the price knowing that paying for each service separately was much more expensive.

" Awesome." Zan commented, going to move the carts in with them. At the woman's look she explained, "I don't want anything stolen." The two chitchatted, only occasionally stopping to be asked what color they wanted. Sarah's nails were turned a bright pink color, as were her lips while her eyes got turned a complimentary color of red.

Zan had clear nail polish put on, black eyeliner just on her bottom lid and silvery red colored powder dusted on her eyelids. Clear gloss was put over her lips. The entire treatment had taken close to two hours and Zan was about out of her mind. Both girls had had their hair washed and trimmed.

" It's a good thing Karen isn't supposed to pick us up for another hour." Sarah commented.

" Yeah really. Ready to hit the bookstore?"

&

" Did you buy enough?" Karen asked sweetly as the girls wheeled three carts out of the mall an hour and fifteen minutes later. " You're late, by the way."

" Sorry Aunt Karen. It was a rush trying to get out of that last store." Zan did her best to placate her aunt by marriage.

" It's okay, just don't do it any more." Sarah rolled her eyes as she helped her cousin push her bags and bags of stuff into the trunk of the car.

&

" You look like you've lived here your entire life." Sarah commented that night as she stood in the doorway to Zan's new room.

" Yeah, feels like it too." The bed was situated in the corner of the room, the wood black as midnight to match the walls and comforter. A throw rug was on the ground in front of it, black with red and blue cloths used as ties. Three bookshelves lined one wall, the desk stood next to the closet door and the dressing table stood next to the window, just a few feet from the bed.

All of Zan's purchases had been hung up and put away. The bookshelves were half full and her scarce make-up lined the dressing tables surface. A bedside table held an alarm clock with glowing red digital numbers and a paperback novel.

Her stereo, her pride and joy, was placed on the bottom of the third bookshelf near the closet. A TV sat on the middle shelf of the middle bookcase, surrounded by movies and in perfect view of the comfortable swivel recliner that Zan was using as a desk chair. A black laptop sat underneath a pile of brightly colored boxes of games in the back corner of the desk.

The King stood in clear view on the shelf that she had screwed into place just above where she would have her head, should she be sitting up in bed. It also had a few other statuettes that she had received from friends but they all seemed to bow and scrape to the King.

" I just wanted to say thanks for all the stuff you bought me."

Zan just waved it away. "Small consolation for all the time you spent following me around."

" Do you need any help with the room?"

" Nah, I have most of it done. I was just planning on turning my stereo on and finishing up the bookshelves. Thanks to mom and dad I have a lot to put on there."

" Okay," Sarah absently pulled her long dark hair off of her neck. "I'll see you in the morning then. Night."

" Night Sarah." It wasn't long before Toby creeped into Zan's room. "Hey Tobes, couldn't sleep?" He shook his head, rubbing at one round eye as he stared around the room.

" I like it here." He commented moving to sit on her fluffy bed.

" I like it too. Do you want me to read you a story?" Zan had been there three days already Toby had started a pattern of sneaking into her room and having her read him to sleep. He nodded, mind already half entered into la-la land.

&

**A/N:** What did you think? Leave a review and I'll see about trying to send the Goblin King to your dreams **;P**


	2. Chapter 2

**O Cousin My Cousin**

**By:** Kryptonite

**Disclaimer:** I do not, do _not_ own The Labyrinth. If I did, there would be a second movie coming out with David Bowie once more as the supreme Goblin King, LoL.

**Summary: **Sarah's cousin comes to stay with Sarah for their senior year – Jareth enters the picture and Sarah is wished away.

**A/N: **A few changes to the movie. Toby was three and not however old he was (how old was he exactly?), Sarah was fourteen instead of fifteen (or about to turn fifteen). Since Karen and Robert seem to be the accepted names for Sarah's parents those are the names I'm going to be using.

Guess no one got around to reading the last chapter ;) Oh well. I'm still posting (as always). Enjoy the second chapter.

&

"I know it's sudden Karen but I have to go." Zan stood outside the door to the kitchen listening to Karen and Robert argue.

" And leave me alone with Sarah _and_ Alezandra? You know those two don't like me." Karen was whining loudly.

" Sarah adores you and Alezandra... you haven't exactly been the warmest person to her either. Just relax. She'll come around just like Sarah has."

" But Robert." Karen started but was cut off as Robert spoke.

" No buts Karen. If you want me to lose my job I'll stay here. Otherwise I'm going." Alezandra scrambled to move from the door before Uncle Robert came barreling through. She managed to make it to the entrance to the living room, where Toby was watching TV before the door to the kitchen opened.

" Hey Uncle Robert." Zan started as Robert simply stood there.

" Hello Zan. Are Sarah and Toby in the living room?"

" Sarah's upstairs but Toby is." Zan made to move into the living room as he turned away.

" Sarah come downstairs please!" Robert called followed shortly by Sarah bouncing down the stairs. She followed the suddenly silent Robert into the living room while Karen waited at the swinging door to the kitchen.

" Toby turn that off please."

" What's up dad?" Toby asked, fumbling with the remote.

" I have a business trip coming up, I have to leave in two days actually. I'll be gone for a month and a half, if not longer."

" Aw dad." Toby and Sarah whined at almost the same time. Robert cracked a grin at that.

" Don't do that. I wouldn't go if I didn't have to but I wanted my promotion and this is what I have to do to keep it. Just think, my paycheck is going to be huge when I get home. We can do some more upgrades to the house when I get home."

" Okay." Toby said eyes staring vacantly down at the sofa cushions.

" Oh Toby don't be like that. I'll be back as soon as possible." When Toby's spirits weren't lifted by that promise he was swept up into Robert's arms and swung around the room.

&

" I can't believe he left us alone with Karen for a whole month!" Sarah whined a week after her father left. Zan nodded, listening attentively and trying to offer support. "I mean, he knows how she is with me and now that you're here..."

" It'll be fine Sarah. We can deal with Karen."

" Sarah? Can you come tell me that story?" Toby asked from the doorway to Sarah's room. At her nod the seven-year-old went back down the stairs to the living room.

" What story?" Zan questioned as Sarah reluctantly stood up.

" Just the story about the Labyrinth."

" You mean when you wished him away?" Sarah turned an angry look on Zan's face, causing the girl to back up a step.

" He doesn't know that. I switched parts around to make the Goblin King the bad guy." Sarah suddenly changed again. "Please don't tell him."

" I won't." She promised her cousin. Sarah smiled and headed for the staircase. Zan looked to where the red, leather-bound book sat on Sarah's bedside table.

&

" And then when we were surrounded Ludo called the rocks." Toby's eyes were lit up in excitement; it didn't matter that he had heard the story a million times.

" Sarah knock it off." Karen snapped, coming to stand in the doorway.

" Come on Karen it's just a story." Sarah argued, turning to face her step-mom. Zan stood next to the TV, trying to stay in the background. Karen came into the room, passing Sarah, and shooed Toby from the couch. She turned back to face Sarah.

" I don't want you to poison his mind with that rubbish. It's bad enough that you still believe it but to make him?"

" It's not rubbish!" Sarah stood up, anger flashing in her eyes. Zan's head snapped as thunder sounded outside the house. Toby looked up as well, scared and suddenly moved to sit in the corner next to the couch.

" It is to and you are rotting his mind with those stupid stories." Karen looked as Toby turned his game boy on.

" Rotting his mind with stories? Come on Karen."

" I am your mother Sarah-"

" You are not even close to being my mother." Sarah glared at Karen just as Karen's hand snaked out and slapped Sarah across the cheek.

" Do you have any idea how stupid you sound. 'And then the Goblin King came from nowhere and took you away.' Really Sarah, you're eighteen you're old enough to know that it's not real."

" It doesn't matter, it's something to tell Toby. It's just a story!"

" It does matter!"

" It doesn't!" Sarah argued, tears welling in her eyes from the red imprint on her cheek.

" I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now! Do you know how idiotic and stupid that sounds! For crying out loud!" Zan's attention was riveted on the windows and the storm raging outside. In the next instant a tall blonde man was standing there in black leather.

" Karen?" Zan tried to get her Aunt's attention, her own eyes never leaving the Goblin King.

" Not now!"

" Aunt Karen!" Zan snapped.

" What?" Her aunt yelled back, her eyes only making it halfway to Zan before catching on the imposing king. "Who are you? How did you get into my house! Get out or I'll- I'll call the cops!"

" Goblin King." Zan caught the man's attention with the reverence and assuredness that she spoke those two words. Jareth smirked at the girl.

" You know Sarah, I don't appreaciate you minimizing your own involvement with Toby's trip to the Labyrinth."

" She didn't mean it." It was slowly dawning on Karen and it was easy to tell what she thought of the situation by the smirk on her face.

" What's said is said." Zan looked from the Goblin King for the first time, sprinting to her cousin.

" Sarah!" She cried just before crashing into the couch. Zan lay there stunned for a moment.

" Are you going to keep her? Turn her into a goblin?"

" You wished her away did you not?" Jareth asked Karen in turn.

" I'll run it." Zan spoke quietly, getting both Jareth and Karen's attention.

" Excuse me?" Jareth asked amused.

" Uncle Robert's gone for a month, Toby's only seven and Karen... she was trying to prove a point, and despite that point falling flat, she's getting what she wants. She knows that if no one runs the Labyrinth and beats it that Sarah will fade from our memories with every passing day. So it'll be like Sarah never existed. That's what she wants. So I'll run it."

" And what makes you think I'll let you? You didn't wish Sarah away."

" It's only fair to have someone try to save Sarah. And I'll make you a deal. Let me run the Labyrinth." Jareth interrupted her before she could finish.

" Doesn't sound like much of a deal." Zan tossed an annoyed look at the smirking Goblin King.

" Please let me finish. If I don't make it to the center of the Labyrinth in time, you can have both of us and do whatever you want to either of us." Jareth pretended to think about it for a minute. His gaze turned to Toby who was rocking back and forth and staring blankly into his game boy's lit up screen.

" Deal." Zan barely blinked before she was transported to the same hilltop as Sarah four years ago. "You have-" Zan didn't wait for Jareth to finish his speech, knowing that the clock was already running.

" Thirteen hours, I know." She called over her shoulder, watching her step down the shifting sands of the hill.

&

**A/N:** So Zan's running the Labyrinth, joy. Hope you'll come back and see what happens next.


	3. Chapter 3

**O Cousin My Cousin**

**By:** Kryptonite

**Disclaimer:** I do not, do _not_ own The Labyrinth. If I did, there would be a second movie coming out with David Bowie once more as the supreme Goblin King, LoL.

**Summary: **Sarah's cousin comes to stay with Sarah for their senior year – Jareth enters the picture and Sarah is wished away.

**A/N: **A few changes to the movie. Toby was three and not however old he was (how old was he exactly?), Sarah was fourteen instead of fifteen (or about to turn fifteen). Since Karen and Robert seem to be the accepted names for Sarah's parents those are the names I'm going to be using.

Well Kira Vohrees this chapter's for you. Hope you review again ;)

&

"Um… excuse me?" Zan called, averting her eyes from the little goblin next to the pond.

"Excuse me." He said moving to stop what he was doing. "You." He said when he turned around to face the girl, his movements going back to that of one who doesn't care.

"I'm Zan and I was wondering if you could tell me how to get into the Labyrinth?" Zan bit her lip hoping that this little creature could show her a door or something.

"Fifty-eight. You gets in there." He said, pointing at a door in the wall that hadn't been there before. Zan stepped forward as the large doors opened and started looking around. "Now, would you go left or right?" He asked, coming up behind Zan and startling her slightly.

"I don't know… which way would you go?"

"Neither." Zan looked down at the little man, half a smile on her face.

"Honest. Thanks." Just as he was about to leave Zan remembered her manners. "What's your name?"

"It's Hoggle."

"Thanks Hoggle." She turned to her right and started walking down the corridor. Hoggle maintained the surprised look on his face as the doors to the Labyrinth closed with a thud. Zan picked up the pace soon, running flat out as she tried to find an opening of some kind. Slowing down to catch her breath Zan came to a decision.

She looked at the walls carefully before finding hand and foot holes for her to climb. Starting up slowly she made sure that every toehold she found would support her weight before removing her foot from the other one and finding another spot.

"What are you doing!" A little voice shrieked next to her ear when she was only mere inches from the top of the wall.

"I'm trying to see my way through the Labyrinth. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing something." Zan turned to face the little creature, barely two inches high, in full skirts and aprons.

"Disturbing something? Of course you're disturbing something! You're climbing the wall of my house!"

"I'm sorry but would it be okay for me to sit on the roof for just a few minutes until I get an idea of where I am? Please?" Zan pleaded with the little woman and waited as her face turned from one of anger to annoyed acceptance.

"Make it quick." The woman snapped, going back in the entrance to her house. Smiling Zan gripped the top of the thick wall, pulling her self up the last foot, feet scrabbling against the wall to try and help. She paused at the top, flipping around awkwardly to find a decent sitting position.

She looked out over the Labyrinth, catching her breath from the climb. It was beautiful and it stretched as far as the eye could see to all horizons. Zan took a deep breath, her lungs expanding as her legs dangled over the edge.

"How do you like my labyrinth?" Jareth's voice at Zan's ear would have made anyone else fall head over heels backwards in shock.

"It's beautiful. And now that I've got my bearings." Zan left it at that as she turned around and lay down on her stomach inching off the shallow ledge and starting down the opposite side of the wall.

"I really don't think so." Zan was back on the other side of the wall with those words.

Zan shrugged knowing there was no point in arguing. "Okay. If you want to do it that way." She turned away to have him appear in front of her. "Hello." She stepped to go around him.

"It would not be in your best interest to ignore me."

"I'm not ignoring you." Jareth raised an eyebrow at the girl, staying obstinately in her way. "May I please pass?"

"Why should I let you pass?" Zan smirked a little, knowing that this was just one of his ways to stop her from reaching the center in time.

"Why are you so obsessed with my cousin? Was her story to Toby that night right? Are you in love with her?" Zan wasn't being patronizing, or wasn't trying to be, but the look of anger that took up residence on Jareth's face was freezing to see.

"Little girls shouldn't talk about what they don't know." With that Jareth was gone. However he'd left a little present behind.

"Shit." Zan started to run as his "present", the Cleaners, started moving towards her. She traced her hand along the wall hoping to find an opening and praying that she wouldn't miss one because she had her hand on the wrong wall.

Just as it looked like she'd get chopped into itty bitty pieces her hand slipped off the wall and Zan threw herself into the opening. She lay with her forehead against the cool, slick stones for a few minutes, trying to calm the pounding of her heart.

"'Ello." Zan's head popped up and she looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice. Finally she got it into her head to turn and look behind her.

What greeted her eyes was a little blue worm wearing a scarf. Her eyes scanned around a couple of times before she came back out of the opening.

"Hello?" She questioned, watching the Cleaners get farther and farther away.

"'Ello." Zan's eyebrow arched while her mind was trying to tell her this would not be the weirdest thing she'd see in the Labyrinth.

"Hi. Do you… could you help me?"

"Come inside and meet the missus, have a cup of tea. That'll calm you down after them nasty Cleaners." The worm started to go back inside.

"I don't think I'll fit." Zan pointed out. The worm looked between her and the crack in the wall that led to his house.

"Guess you won't, can't help you much then, love."

"Do you know the way through the Labyrinth? That would be a big help."

The worm shook his little head. "I'm just a worm."

"Okay." Zan went back through the opening, since it was the first she had found since she started the Labyrinth. Turning to go left she stopped when the worm called out.

"What did you say?"

"I said 'don't go that way. Never go _that_ way.'"

Zan scrunched her eyes not sure whether or not to believe the worm. "Why not?"

"If you go left, you'll go straight to that castle."

"Oh. But that's where I want to go."

"Why would you want to go there?" Zan shrugged.

"I have to rescue my cousin." The worm just shook his head in disbelief.

"Nothing good comes from that castle."

"Something could though. Thanks for your help." Zan made a little nodding bow in the worms' direction before turning to go left.


End file.
